Saturday 1 June at 7.30 pm. Doors open 7.00 pm.
Festival Saturday concludes with a performance of Solway Stories, a collection of twelve original compositions by bassist and composer Ben Crosland. The music was inspired by his 1988 visit with his mother to the beautiful area of South West Scotland, bordering the Solway Firth. “We were captivated by the gorgeous landscape and engaging place names – Beeswing, Carsethorn, Islesteps and Powfoot,” explains Crosland. “I decided to write a set of pieces inspired by our trip and wrote those names down on a sheet of paper which I duly filed away.”
In November 2018 a chance viewing of Richard Thompson performing his song ‘Beeswing’ on YouTube reawakened the memory of the trip and Crosland set about the compositional project imagined all those years before. Crosland has revisited Solway Firth and his research into its rich history has shaped many of the compositions in Solway Stories.
“I still vividly recall that original journey north, crossing the border and driving through the lovely countryside. That will always be the starting point,” concludes Crosland. “This is a very personal record. Naturally, it is dedicated to my mum who, right to the end of her days, at almost 102 years of age, still relished going out for a ‘spin in the motor’.”
Solway Stories has been featured regularly on Jazz FM since its release. It was album of the week on Dinner Jazz with Mark Walker during the week of 17th May 2021 and has also been featured by Mark several times since. It has also been featured by Helen Mayhew on True Brit and by Chris Philips on The Blueprint.
Tracks from the album have been featured on BBC Radio 3’s Jazz Record Requests, BBC Scotland Jazz Nights, Jazz London Live and The Jazz Mine on Dublin City FM
Solway Stories is brought to the Langtoun Jazz Festival by The Ben Crosland Quintet, a specially curated band featuring Scottish jazz legends Colin Steele (trumpet/flugelhorn) and Malcolm Macfarlane (guitar), winner of the Scottish Young Jazz Musician award 2023 Ben Shankland piano/keyboards) and rising Scottish jazz star Chun-Wei Kang (drums).
Ben Crosland has been leading bands for over 30 years. He has recorded a series of critically acclaimed albums, released on his independent Jazz Cat label, with the cream of UK jazz musicians including Alan Skidmore, Dave O’Higgins, Jim Mullen, Mark Nightingale, Steve Waterman, John Etheridge, Martin Shaw, Steve Lodder and Barnaby Dickinson.
REVIEWS OF SOLWAY STORIES
‘Bass guitarist and composer Ben Crosland has fond memories of the countryside around the Solway Firth, and they inspired him to write these 12 musical vignettes. They have his typically light touch, the written parts and improvised solos deftly woven so that you scarcely notice the join. The pieces range from gently melodic to driving and intense, with particularly impressive solos by trumpeter Steve Waterman and Steve Lodder on keyboards. The album came out in May, and its sunny tunefulness sounds even more appealing in the dark days of winter.’
Dave Gelly, The Observer
‘The writing is rich in memorable melodies and the playing no less resonant and inventive…A delightful album’. Robert Shore, Jazzwise. 4 stars.
‘A set of carefully crafted and highly melodic compositions that are suitably enhanced by the playing of five excellent musicians’. Ian Mann, The Jazz Mann. 4 stars.
‘This is one of those records that has its own language, its own narrative and its own beauty. Quietly understated but deeply compelling, this is undoubtedly one of my favourite records this year’. Chris Baber, Jazz Views.
‘This is a celebration of the wide open spaces, it is optimistic, warm, broad brush stroke music…it is cool in a way that allows the tunes to develop…a lovely album’. Lance Liddle, Bebop Spoken Here.
‘An unaffectedly lyrical composer of direct and evocative melodies, that draw in the uninitiated and jazz cognoscenti alike’. John Fordham, London Jazz News
Tickets for all Beveridge Suite performances are ONLY available from the Adam Smith box office. Until 1 May grab yourself a special deal of £35 for all three performances, or individual tickets for £14. After 1 May only individual tickets will be available at £15.
Box Office tel. 01592 583302 or e-mail boxoffice.adamsmith@onfife.com. Online sales from OnFife using the link button below.
